Obama delays return from Hawaii

HONOLULU — President Barack Obama must really be enjoying his Hawaiian vacation because he’s again postponing his return to Washington.

Obama will now leave Hawaii the evening of Jan. 3, arriving in Washington the afternoon of Jan. 4, the White House announced Wednesday.

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"After the extended lame duck and five-day delay of his trip here, he's just trying to squeeze in more time with his family before returning to Washington," deputy White House press secretary Bill Burton said in a statement to reporters.

The president originally was scheduled to be in Hawaii Dec. 18 to Jan. 1. Instead, he arrived late on Dec. 22 after he remained in Washington through the end of the lame-duck session of Congress. At that time, he pushed back his expected return to Jan. 2.

Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and their daughters, Sasha and Malia, have been staying at a rented beachfront vacation compound on Oahu, the island where the president was born.

The girls, who arrived with the first lady on Dec. 18, will miss at least two days of school, Burton said. Classes resume at Sidwell Friends, the private school they attend, on Jan. 3.

The president has spent time playing golf, snorkeling and taking his daughters to the beach.

After working out Wednesday morning at the gym with the first lady, Obama spent the afternoon at Pyramid Rock beach with his family and friends.